The Java class was a series of eight wooden-hulled steam frigates ordered by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. Construction of the ships was significantly delayed with the war's end, and ultimately, only four ships were launched. Of those, only three went to sea and served brief careers due to poor wood quality and a lack of funding.
The class was designed and laid down in the final years of the American Civil War, and incorporated the United States Navy's wartime experience and technological advancements. It was planned that the ships would serve as the backbone for a modern post-war Navy.[1][2]
While dimensions varied slightly between ships, they typically displaced 3,953 long tons (4,016t) and measured 312.5 feet (95.3m) at the waterline, with an overall length of 316.5 feet (96.5m), a beam of 46 feet (14m), and a draft of 17.25 feet (5.26m). Each ship was powered by a single-shaft steam engine driven by four boilers, two of which featurered superheaters. They were capable of speeds between 12 and 13 knots (22 and 24km/h; 14 and 15mph), with a coal capacity of 480 long tons (490t). The class was crewed by 325 officers and enlisted personnel. Aside from their rigging, the ships were also fitted with two funnels.[3]
Armament varied by vessel. Guerriere and Minnetonka carried two 6.4-inch (16cm)Parrott rifledmuzzle-loading (RML) guns, one 5.3-inch (13cm) Parrott RML, 18 9-inch (23cm)Dahlgren smoothbore (SB) guns, and two to four 4-inch (10cm) RML boat guns, the difference was that Guerriere was fitted with only six Dahlgren guns. Piscataqua was instead armed with twenty 9-inch SB guns.[3]
Following the end of the Civil War, the Navy was stripped of funding, which left many construction projects abandoned. Of the four frigates which managed to enter service, the use of unseasoned (green) wood in their hulls ensured brief careers. While Illinois, Java, Kewaydin, and Ontario were broken up at the shipyard after sitting on their stocks for decades, only Guerriere, Minnetonka, and Piscataqua went to sea, with Antietam's hull used as a storage hulk. After several of the ships were re-named after states, California (ex-Minnetonka) served as the flagship of the US Pacific Fleet while Delaware (ex-Piscataqua) went to the Asiatic and Guerriere served in the Atlantic. After less then ten years of service, the three operable ships were sold off.[2]
Plans were made for an enlarged Java class fitted with steel plating, known as the Hassalo class. The class consisted of two ships, named Hassalo and Watauga. Neither was laid down and not many details are known.[2][3]
Ships in class
Below is a list of every ship of the class along with key information about each one.[3]
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